Country Cousins: Rapture
by NCIState
Summary: Raven & Chelsea are spending some time with Raven's cousins at their farmhouse. When they awake one morning, things seem off... Raven has a vision which confuses the pair even further. That's So Zombie Apocalypse ensues. Far away from their families in San Franciso, how do Raven and Chelsea fend off the undead and survive? What do Raven's visions of her family mean? Raven/Chelsea
1. Chapter 1 - Savoured Reality

**_A/N: This is my first time writing a story in an incredibly long time. Please be gentle, but please do let me know what you think! This story is set around the Country Cousins episodes of That's So Raven when Raven and Chelsea visit Raven's distant relatives in the country. The storyline of that episode holds no relevance as this is a stand-alone story, but there are parts which give a nod to the episode. Expected to be multi-chaptered as long as everyone reviews to let me know it's worth giving this story a try!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Savored Reality**

 _"Some nights are made for torture, or reflection, or the savoring of loneliness"_

It was 8:00 PM and Raven Baxter and Chelsea Daniels had settled down in their beds for an unwanted early night only an hour previous. Staying with Raven's cousins was both a blessing and a curse for Chelsea. On one hand, she loved being in the countryside, surrounded by nature and animals for her to tend to, but most importantly, she loved spending time with her best friend. However, she did believe that her childhood companion's relatives were a little taxing when they forced her to go to bed at such an early hour. No matter how many sheep she counted, there was no drifting off for the redhead.

"Rae, you still awake?" she asked softly into the darkness. A grumble from the adjacent bed signaled her fashionable friend was still very much awake. With a shuffle, Chelsea sat upright on the firm mattress and positioned the pillows so she could rest her back against them. "I'm thirsty"

Raven mirrored her friend's actions and sat up also, pulling her quilt closer to her for warmth. It was getting close to winter and Raven was definitely not a fan. Chelsea, on the other hand, favored the winter months and never seemed to be bothered by a drop in temperature. "Go grab some water from the kitchen, just be quiet. 'Though, I'm sure they'll all be out like a log by now considering how _late_ it is" the brunette scoffed sarcastically. Chelsea chuckled at this as she swung her legs over the side of the bed to face Raven.

Putting on a thick country accent, Chelsea humorously mimicked the words of Raven's cousin Vicky "Come on Rae, _being that it's the weekend and all, we like to stay up a little later_." It was Raven's turn to laugh this time. Walking over towards the door, Chelsea grabbed one of Raven's fancy robes and fastened it around her pajamas. "I'm going downstairs, do you want anything?" she asked, looking back at her obviously cold friend who was clutching her quilt to her chest.

"An extra 10 degrees would go down a hit, Chels" came from the bedridden girl. After only just putting it on, the redhead unfastened the robe and lay it atop her frozen friend, only briefly feeling a small chill herself.

"I think you need this more than I do. I'm gonna grab some water, be back in a sec. I'll see if I can find an extra blanket for you too"

"Ah, what would I do without ya, girl? Good looking out, Chels" Raven grumbled gratefully as she snuggled under the new layer. After a quick smiling exchange, Chelsea was out of the door and on her way to the kitchen.

* * *

Chelsea loved old country houses, but at night time, not so much. Everything she loved in the daytime was a complete juxtaposition at night. It made her feel uneasy, being in the middle of nowhere. Entering the kitchen, the air hung still as a chill ran up her spine; it was completely silent - the sound emanating from the creaky wooden door the only solace. She padded over to the sink and ran the tap until the water ran cool, catching the waterfall in a purple plastic tumbler.

As the cascading water came to a halt, Chelsea peered out of the side view window into the now very dark farmyard. You could only see so far before the world beyond was enveloped in nightfall. It was both peaceful and eerie simultaneously and it made Chelsea feel unsteady. Closing the curtains, she started for the door as she heard a crack from outside the window as though someone was treading on sticks. She snapped her head back around, reopening the curtain.

As she watched the trees lightly sway, Chelsea assured herself that nature speaks for itself, especially during a windy night like tonight, but at the back of her mind, she was trying to ignore her childish fear of Percy who stood just outside of the house. Percy was the family's scarecrow. Raven had told her countless times how Betty Jane used to scare her with stories when she was little about how Percy would come to life and steal your soul. Of course, Chelsea knew it was a simple fable between children, and if asked, she would deny her fear, but being alone so close to the outdoors at night wasn't on the top of Chelsea's bucket list. As she looked away from the window, she noticed one of Baby G's large blankets on the table. _"This looks big enough to give Raven a bit of extra heat,"_ she thought to herself. With that, she snatched the blanket and bolted out of the kitchen, making her way back upstairs to Raven.

* * *

Raven lay curled up in her blanket, now wearing the robe that was placed on her as Chelsea returned, slowly closing the door to avoid a loud thud. "You're back! I thought Percy might've got ya" Raven joked, knowing Chelsea was secretly terrified of the scarecrow.

"Well he tried, but I pummeled his idiot straw butt to the ground" The redhead began walking towards the brunette's bed, placing her purple tumbler on the bedside cabinet. "Maybe the scarecrow could have beat me if..." Chelsea looked Raven stark in the eyes as she deadpanned "if he only had a brain". Raven guffawed with an enormous belly cackle as Chelsea tackled her with Baby G's blanket, trying to keep the dark-skinned beauty from waking up the rest of the family.

"Chels, you did _not_ just make a Wizard of Oz joke" Raven poked at the pale girl's ribs as Chelsea stood upright again, smirking down at her. Chelsea tightened the new blanket around a now warmer Raven. "You're basically my mom right now, you know that, right?"

Chelsea chuckled, leaning down to smooth out the edges. "I know, I like it though. I like looking after you" Raven's eyes softened, looking up at the woman she has become so accustomed to. She couldn't imagine Chelsea not being in her life. There was something really special about having someone you can truly trust and talk to without having any boundaries, knowing whatever you said would be safe.

"Well tomorrow, you know, you're welcome to bring me breakfast in bed - that would REALLY be looking after me!" she put on her best attempt at a puppy dog face, but it was to no avail as Chelsea playfully punched her on the shoulder before getting back into her own bed. "So that's at least a maybe, right?"

"Goodnight, Miss Bossy Boots!" Chelsea spoke, snuggling further down under her own quilt.

"Night, biscuit head... love ya" Raven tried once more.

"Love you too, but the answer is still no"

* * *

 _ **A/N: okay, so that was just a starting point to get a feel for where I want to go and to get a feel for the characters. The next chapter will start to get progressive. What do you think? Is this something you'd want to read? Is the writing alright and more importantly, do the characters feel realistic? Any review will help! This is going to be a sort of survivalist story. Lots of emotions, lots of revelations, loss, hope, new beginnings, feelings of being lost, angst, love, everything you can think of! Inspired by Tartarus, a Rizzoli and Isles fanfiction. Involvement of zombies doesn't have to be cliche. Please review!**_


	2. Chapter 2 - Company for the Lonely Ones

**Chapter 2: Company for the Lonely Ones**

Blazing sun filtered through a crack in the curtains, stirring Raven from a deep sleep. She flipped herself onto her back to escape the offending light as a long drawled out yawn escaped her lips.

"Good Morning, sleepyhead!" came brightly from the rooms other occupant who was sorting through her travel case on the bedroom floor, already dressed as though she'd been up for quite some time.

"Morning" Raven fiddled with the alarm on the bedside table until it showed her the hour - 10:00 AM. "Geez, Chels. How did I manage to sleep that long with Cousin Vicky in the house? She's usually here at 6 am sharp! What, did you lock her out or something?" she joked, still comfy in her fort of blankets. Chelsea momentarily looked towards the bedroom door, still untouched since her trip to the kitchen.

"Must have thought we needed the rest. We should go see if they need a hand with the milking again today, I think Betty Jane could use some friendly faces. She looked really worried about something last night" Chelsea located her brush in the depths of her travel case and zipped it up again, walking over towards Raven's bed and sitting herself down at the bottom. "Did she say anything to you?" Raven watched as Chelsea brushed her long red locks, reveling in the way her hair fell gracefully down her back. She looked almost like a Disney princess. "Rae?"

It was just then that Raven noticed she had completely ignored Chelsea's question. _"Snap,"_ she thought to herself _"was I staring?"._ "No she never said anything to me, she was probably just having a bad day, Chels. We'll go see her and I promise I'll wear something _normal_ this time"

Chelsea smiled to herself, remembering the last time they were at the country house. Raven, in her standard Raven style, dressed like a cow in order to milk one. "You know, Rae, I think that's a good idea" she chuckled softly as she turned to look at her best friend who was still cocooned in blankets. Standing up, Chelsea pulled the offending layers from atop Raven signaling that she needed to get out of bed. "Come on, or I'll have to go all mom on you again and start banging pans and cutlery until you scoot". The taller woman authenticated her statement with a discerning raise of an eyebrow.

Experiencing a new sense of bravado, Raven raised a challenging eyebrow of her own. "You know actually Chels, I think I'll stay here _all_ day" she announced, starting to pull back up the blanket which she had just been stripped of. Trying eyes met stern ones and Raven suddenly felt a twang of uncertainty but continued in her ministrations.

"Raven Lydia Baxter if you do not get out of that bed in the next 10 seconds, I won't be held accountable for my actions!" Chelsea warned, locking eyes with Raven and noticing a darkening glint that she'd never seen before, it was something she couldn't quite place. The olive skinned girl shot her a quick smirk before resting her head back on the pillow beneath. Shifting on her feet, Chelsea grabbed the purple tumbler from the nightstand she'd gotten only last night, still half full of water. Raven's demeanor changed to one of worry as she eyed the cup before looking at Chelsea who was riled and ready for a battle.

"You wouldn't"

"I would" Chelsea warned, waving the tumbler closer to Raven's head.

Quicker than Chelsea had ever witnessed, Raven shot up and out of bed like a cheetah. The fair skinned girl snickered as she returned the tumbler to the night stand, effectively completing her mission. Chelsea ventured over to the bedroom window, peering out into the sunrise to give Raven some privacy as she got dressed. Outside, the world seemed still. The leaves on the trees weren't waving, there weren't any sounds of Betty Jane or any of the other family members going about their day, there was just nothing. Chelsea noted that apart from her and Raven, the house was completely silent too. In fact, she hadn't heard a single thing since they all retired to their rooms last night. It was a little unnerving, but it wasn't concerning. Raven's cousins lived life very differently to the two girls and they continued to surprise her.

"Chels, you want breakfast? My treat!" Chelsea jumped slightly at the unexpected noise in the silence and turned around to face a now very close, very much dressed Raven. She was wearing a simple black shirt and jeans with a matching denim jacket. Raven, not realizing how close she actually was to the other girl, stepped back instinctively. The move was small but didn't go unnoticed by Chelsea, who would be lying if she said it didn't hurt her feelings. Noticing the small furrow in her friend's brow, Raven asked softly "you alright, Chels?". She raised a hand to Chelsea's shoulder, subconsciously rubbing her thumb against the cotton fabric. Chelsea quickly covered herself, ignoring the strange sensation she felt in her stomach due to Raven's hand consoling her.

"I was just thinking about your cousins, they're not outside as far as I can see and it doesn't sound like they're home. Where do you think they are?" she asked, trying to veer the conversation to something other than herself. Raven felt like there was more to the story, but didn't try to press the issue.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Chels. Let's go downstairs and I'll make us some breakfast. Vicky's probably in the shed now, but we'll find them once we've eaten, so come on 'cause I don't offer to make breakfast for just anyone!" she joked, lightening the mood once more. It made it worth it when she saw the smile break out on her best friend's face. "Ah, now there's that beautiful smile, girl!

* * *

In the kitchen, Chelsea sat perched on one of the wooden stools near the benchtop watching Raven prepare breakfast. With Victor Baxter being a gourmet chef, Chelsea had always wondered if any of his cooking talents were passed down to Raven. She watched as Raven maneuvered easily around the kitchen. Raven may not have visited her cousins that much since she was a little girl, but Chelsea could tell Raven didn't forget an inch of the place.

"Breakfast is served!" Raven exclaimed proudly, setting two small plates atop the counter between them with two plastic flasks of coffee. Chelsea smiled at what was placed before her - two pieces of buttered toast each. It wasn't exactly gourmet but it was perfect.

"Gourmet at it's finest, your dad would be proud" she joked, taking a bite of her warm toast. Raven laughed, batting the toast away from Chelsea.

"Wait, I can make it better"

Chelsea watched as her proud friend sauntered to the fridge and picked out a packet of grated mozzarella.

"Here we go," Raven sprinkled the cheese over each of their plates. "I think that's what the French would call très bon!"

"Ooooh, perfect. Toast à la queso! Gourmet at last" Chelsea exclaimed.

"Fromage"

"How is it from Marge if you just made it? Who's Marge?"

"No Chels, queso is Spanish. Fromage is French" Raven chuckled, but Chelsea's expression remained blank. "Just eat your cheesy toast"

* * *

Opening the front door to the house, Raven ventured outside onto the porch. Chelsea had just gone upstairs to fetch her jacket, so for the moment, Raven was alone. For the first time, she really appreciated the fresh country air. This morning being just her and Chelsea had been an unexpected blessing. She had felt free. Back home there was always someone there to judge her every move, tell her what to do and what not to do and she hadn't realized the cage she was in until today when she was finally released. She inhaled the morning air deep into her lungs and felt a new sense of independence. One which was sure to dissipate whenever her cousins returned. For now though, she was adamant to enjoy her alone time with her best friend. Chelsea appeared at the door, just in time to see Raven getting pulled into a vision.

 _Raven's house. Victor, Tanya and Cory Baxter were sitting on their family couch watching TV, but something was different. Tanya was crying, being consoled by Victor._

 _"Stay inside, lock the doors, we don't know how far this will spread. For now, I will be signing off but this channel will remain actively controlled by a radio frequency." came blistering out of the television._

 _"I wish Raven was here. I hope she's okay" Cory sniffed. He had clearly been crying too._

Taken aback, Raven wobbled slightly, being caught by Chelsea who was standing behind her. Raven's face looked as though all of the life had been wrestled out of it.

"Rae, what did you see?" Chelsea, who was now on high alert, walked them both to the porch steps and sat down, her arm remaining around Raven's shoulders. When no response came, Chelsea brought Raven's face up to look at her, but she wasn't really sure she wanted to know what Raven had envisioned as the look in her eyes told her it wasn't good. Raven found what courage she needed in the softness of her friend's eyes.

"I.. I'm not sure. It was weird" her brow furrowed and she looked at Chelsea, knowing that her answer wasn't enough. Chelsea just sat patiently, knowing Raven needed time to process her vision. "Something's wrong, Chels" Raven didn't know what to say or how to say it, she didn't even know what she'd seen herself.

"It's okay, Rae. You can tell me. Remember, you see the future. So whatever it is, it hasn't happened yet. You're okay" Chelsea smiled and brought her hand down from Raven's face to rest on the worried girl's knee, trying her best to console her friend. Chelsea's touch set ablaze something inside of Raven that she didn't quite understand and her head snapped to look down at the hand that was rubbing soothing patterns over her knee. Chelsea mistook it as a bad sign. Feeling hurt, she retracted both of her hands and placed them back into her own lap. "If you don't want to tell me that's fine, I just want to help" she said, looking down to her feet, suddenly feeling as though she'd had the confidence knocked out of her. This brought Raven back to life, worried she'd offended her friend.

"No, Chels, it's just, I don't know. I don't even know what I saw. It was back home, my family were watching something on TV. It sounded like the news, but they were talking about something spreading" Chelsea looked back up to Raven, confusion evident on her face.

"It's getting closer to winter, there's probably just a new cold virus or something" Chelsea suggested.

"No, it's something big. They talked about staying inside and locking your doors. My mom was crying, Chels. Cory said he hoped I was okay. Why would I not be okay? What if they're in trouble?" Raven's eyes started glistening with unshed tears, suddenly feeling useless. She breathed heavily and stared down at the ground. "What do I do?"

Once again, Chelsea brought her hand up to cradle Raven's cheek and forced her to look at her, wiping away a tear that had escaped her sorrowful eyes. "Right now, you're fine. Your family is fine. Your visions don't always mean what you think they do, so what do you say we go inside and give them a call?" Chelsea saw Raven's eyes become soft, meeting her own warm gaze. An incredibly short space of time passed before Raven eventually looked away in order to stand up, but it felt like a lifetime. Something in Chelsea's eyes made her feel safe. Raven felt herself ignoring those little butterflies in her stomach that came about whenever Chelsea was close by. It was not something she was ready to face and it's something that she would ignore for as long as she could. She had other things to think about right now.

* * *

In the living room, Raven paced over toward the landline and began to dial her home telephone number, holding the phone to her ear. Chelsea hovered closely beside her, wanting to be there for her friend. After a few moments, Raven slammed the phone down in frustration, startling the redhead. She's never seen Raven like this before, she seemed so vulnerable, so haphazard.

"It's engaged" was all she got from the brunette before Raven pulled out her pink cell phone and started dialing numbers. "No signal"

"What?"

"Absolutely nothing. All of the lines are dead"

Chelsea visibly swallowed, sensing an element of danger. Trying to rationalize the situation, she said "maybe there's an error everywhere, maybe that's why your cousins aren't here. They probably went into town to see when it'll be fixed"

"You know them well enough now to know they wouldn't even notice if they phone lines went down. Something's wrong, Chelsea"

"Well maybe-"

Just as Chelsea was about to attempt her rationalizing again, the two girls heard the kitchen back door crashing open. Raven and Chelsea looked into each other's eyes, neither of them certain of their next moves.

"Stay here, Chelsea. That must be them coming home, I'll go see what's up" Raven was trying to normalize whatever was going on, ending her sentence with a forced smile. In the back of her head, her mind kept reverting back to her vision. All she could think about was the voice from the TV saying _"Stay inside. Lock the doors"_. Turning toward the direction of the kitchen, Raven apprehensively ventured off down the hall.

Raven didn't know why she felt so scared, but her instinct told her that she should be. As she drew near to the wooden door to the kitchen, she heard shuffling.

"Auntie Faye?"

No answer. More shuffling and a small crash of pans. Raven creaked the door open ever so slightly and peered through the gap. She could see a person... wearing a purple dress. Auntie Faye. Her auntie was a lot older than her and she was getting a bit tired and weary, sometimes struggling with her sight, so it was possible she simply hadn't heard Raven calling her name. Suddenly feeling more at ease, Raven fully opened the door and stepped into the kitchen.

"It's alright, Chels! It's just Auntie Faye" she shouted to her friend, who was still in the other room. At this sudden noise, Auntie Faye's neck twisted toward Raven, cocking her head once she came into full view. There was something different. Her eyes. Raven was too far away to be sure, but she could have sworn there was something wrong with her eyes. Thoughts had no chance to process as Auntie Faye leapt at Raven, ravenous and animal-like. Flight, fight or freeze. Raven's entire body froze up under the attack of her Auntie Faye, who had accumulated a strength far exceeding her natural ability. She was off her in an instant. Everything was a haze; a moment, a lifetime, an elongated silence that somehow came to be, everything and nothing all at once, Raven could process nothing. She was in a dream. She saw only Chelsea pushing the offender into the kitchen table. Not an offender, her Auntie Faye. But she didn't look like her Auntie Faye anymore, she didn't act like a person. A shot. The commotion came to a halt. The body of her Auntie Faye lay lifeless against the table top, flopping to the ground. Someone entered the room then - the person who had just shot her Auntie Faye.

Betty Jane.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Awakening

_**A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while to upload - I struggled to write it in all honesty. Writer's block is my enemy! Please let me know what you think of the finished chapter. Hopefully, Chapter 4 won't take me this long.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The Awakening**

Grazing her head against the glass, Raven awoke with a start. She blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings. Trees - rows of them, whizzing past in concession. She lifted her head, stretching her neck to relieve the crick that had made home there. Looking around, she realized she was in her cousin's old truck, Betty Jane sitting in the front seat driving; she hadn't yet noticed Raven was awake. It was then that all of the memories of the morning came flooding back to Raven. Her Auntie Faye.

 _A shot. The commotion came to a halt. The body of her Auntie Faye lay lifeless against the table top, flopping to the ground. Someone entered the room then - the person who had just shot her Auntie Faye._

It was a memory that would stay with Raven until the day she died.

"You killed her" Raven croaked into the silent space, her voice rough from sleep. An accusation wasn't present in her speech, exhaustion took any semblance of emotion from her words. Betty Jane visibly sighed, looking into the rearview mirror and seeing Raven peering out of the window. She wasn't even looking at her. Raven's face was a blank canvas, she appeared somewhat catatonic. She was vacant.

After a few more minutes of silence, Betty Jane decided to speak. Tightening her grip on the steering wheel, she looked away from the mirror in order to keep her eyes on the road. She couldn't look at Raven right now, not when she was about to tell her the truth. "I didn't kill her, Raven" was all she said.

Raven felt dead to the world, it was as though all of her emotions had been put on hold. She had become a blank slate, feeling nothing except the numbness of reality. She turned her head slowly, now resting her face on the side of the car again and peered into the rearview mirror so she could see Betty Jane as she softly added "I saw you. You shot her". Raven returned her eyes to the trees as she felt the car come to a halt and Betty Jane turned around to face her. This conversation needed to happen now.

The sudden jolt caused a stir from a sleeping Chelsea. Raven looked down and only then noticed that Chelsea had been clutching at her side, resting her head on Raven's shoulder. Using her free arm, Raven instinctively brought her hand up to cup Chelsea's face, soothing the girl back into a slumber. Betty Jane furrowed her brow in confusion, noticing the display of affection, but decided to say nothing. Country life was different to city life, and Betty Jane mentally told herself that best friends can just be close, although she felt it was something more. It wasn't the time for those questions right now. Betty Jane was just happy to witness the small glistening of humanity in the girls as it reminded her of a time which was now long gone and Raven was about to find that out. Stopping the car on the road was dangerous enough, so Betty Jane knew she had no time to beat around the bush. Emotions were now a luxury she could no longer afford.

"Raven, something else killed Auntie Faye" A few beats passed. Betty Jane could tell from the blank look in her cousin's eyes that she didn't understand what she was saying.

"You shot Auntie Faye. That's what killed her"

"No, no, no, Raven, listen to me. I shot something, but that wasn't Auntie Faye. It was her body, but it wasn't her" Betty Jane could see the rage starting to blaze in the brunette's eyes, but refused to let this deter her. Raven needed to know. "Auntie Faye was already dead. The person you saw... the person I shot... wasn't Auntie Faye. Things are happening, Raven. People are dying and they're getting back up and biting people. It's like a disease. I don't know why and I don't know how but I know they're not our family. Auntie Faye was attacked, I saw it..."

Raven had becoming silent, trying to process what she had heard.

"...She was attacked and she died"

"But... I saw her... in the kitchen" Raven tried to rationalize, her eyes suddenly brimming with unshed tears. She had no idea what was going on and the lack of control she felt was overwhelming to her.

"When people die... something else comes back and uses their body. Something evil. That's what you saw in the kitchen"

Tears began to fall from Betty Jane's eyes. The strong resolute woman she had appeared to be all morning had finally broken.

"It would have killed you if I didn't shoot it"

This was her final undoing. Betty Jane slumped back into the front seat, unwarranted tears streaming down her face. Raven, still unmoved from her spot, let her own tears fall. She looked down at Chelsea, sleeping peacefully against her arm. She envied her. Chelsea had no idea what had become of the world and Raven wasn't sure she ever wanted her to find out. Chelsea was so pure and so innocent, she deserved so much more. Raven was going to make sure Chelsea continued to be happy, no matter what it took.

Raven looked back out to the road, to the trees she didn't recognize.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice retracting back to indifference.

"Somewhere safe" came solemnly from the front seat, Betty Jane starting the truck once again. If she were honest with herself, she was not sure where she was driving to, she just knew what she was driving away from. Her home. Her family. Truth be told, Betty Jane knew they could have stayed at the house; they could have made it safe. She exaggerated the level of danger they were in because she knew in her heart she couldn't stay there. She couldn't be around anything that reminded her of her family and friends, she just couldn't. So she told Raven and Chelsea that they had to leave; that it wasn't safe. Betty Jane simply hoped she had done the right thing, but currently, she was just leading them down a long road to nowhere. A destination to their fate. Whatever lay at the end was all down to her and she felt that pressure like an anchor on her heart.

* * *

Light faded from the sky as the sun began to set, blazing red tones signaling the beginning of the night. The trees lining the road had become shadows of their former selves, bleak and haunting. The beams that once shone life through the branches were gone, allowing the secrets within the forest to adopt their dark disguise. Hands interlocked, pulling Raven from her daze as her eyes sought the delicate palm holding her own. Raven looked up to find the face of her best friend staring back at her, her eyes revealing her fear. It was something Raven couldn't bare to look at because it hurt her heart that she was the cause. She had tried so hard to keep Chelsea safe, to keep her mind at ease, but she broke her wish only moments after she mentally promised it to herself.

 _Not long after Chelsea had woken up earlier, Betty Jane had stopped the truck at a small store just off the road. The girls had begun to get hungry and in their rush to leave the house, had only brought a few things. Instructing the girls to stay seated, Betty Jane carefully closed the car door. Walking the short distance around the perimeter, she aimed her gun in front of her to check for any undead. Once she was satisfied they were safe, she opened the truck for the two girls and allowed Raven and Chelsea to get out, commanding that they stay behind her. Chelsea didn't really know what was going on, but from the house to the escape, she knew it was something big. As they walked into the shop, they were met with silence. Betty Jane had no time for morals, it was already starting to get dark and she still had no idea where she was driving to. She started to fill her satchel with food cans from the shelves. Raven and Chelsea both looked at each other and at Betty Jane, concern evident on their faces._

 _"You shouldn't be doing that" Chelsea argued, shocked at what she was seeing. "They don't belong to you"_

 _Betty Jane didn't listen as she packed her bag to the brim. "The world's changed, sunshine. You need to get what you can now before everything else is raided and you have to go without" she chastised, wandering further into the small store. "Chelsea, that desk behind you... check the cabinet for medical supplies"_

 _Chelsea looked at Raven, unsure what to do. Chelsea was a good person and good people didn't steal; she couldn't comprehend how bad things must be if this is what had become of everyone. She sought hope in Raven's eyes but was met with a secretive knowing. Raven looked away, knowing that she couldn't be what Chelsea needed. She couldn't change the world. Things had to be this way. They were survivors now._

 _"I'll check the other shelves" came from under Raven's breath, almost afraid to speak; feeling uncomfortable under the redhead's judgmental gaze. Chelsea's body sagged, feeling defeated as she made her way toward the cash desk, Raven venturing the opposite way. Taking a look back, she watched as Raven and Betty Jane looted the shelves, her entire being felt as though it was being removed, leaving only the shell. It felt wrong._

 _Upon closer inspection, the desk looked as though it hadn't been used for quite some time, even before the world turned bad. Chelsea stroked her palm across the surface, dust clawing at her fingertips._

 _A noise. The heads of the other two women in the room snapped to attention._

 _"I knocked the pen holder on the floor" Chelsea stated matter-of-factly, knowing the other women were staring at her. As they returned to their duties, Chelsea reached down under the desk to fetch the container. The world may have changed, but Chelsea was savoring every part of humanity she could and that included cleanliness. Unable to locate it, Chelsea bent down on her knees and stretched her arm further beneath the wooden surface. Her hand met the cold porcelain of the container and gripped it. As she began to stand, she was suddenly pulled back down to the ground with a smack, a scream bellowing from her core. Ripping her hand away with a strength she didn't know she possessed, she fell back in shock as an entity crawled from under the desk, charging towards her. She couldn't run, she just froze. She felt cold, matted hands pulling at her ankles. It emitted a growl so deep from within that it sounded almost demonic. It was on her in an instant. She was face to face with the reason the world had changed. She looked into the eyes of the undead and saw nothing staring back. There was no life in there, no humanity, nothing._

 _A gunshot from Betty Jane. The creature halted and fell atop Chelsea. Hands grasped at the slim girl's stomach pulling her away; the hands were familiar this time. Raven. The shaking girl was pulled into her best friends lap, arms wrapped tightly around her._

Back in the truck, Raven felt the guilt creeping up on her. It made her feel sick. Chelsea was attacked and she couldn't help. If Betty Jane hadn't of been there, she doesn't know what she would have done. Her eyes filled with tears as she finally looked at Chelsea.

"I'm sorry" came from the defeated brunette. Chelsea wrapped her arms around her best friend, their bodies molding together as their need for closeness became apparent. Raven returned the gesture, holding the feeble girl tighter than was comfortable. Tears fell from both of the girls as they clung to each other as though it were the last time they would be able to. "I'm so sorry, Chels"

Chelsea tightened her grip around the girl, her lips brushing the soft skin of Raven's cheek as she whispered a reassurance in her ear "It's not your fault, Rae"

Raven pulled away slightly to look at Chelsea, her eyes soft and glistening. "I promised myself I'd protect you"

The fear Chelsea felt quickly abated as she sat side by side with Raven, resting her head on her shoulder and interlocking their arms. "You did, you pulled me away. I always feel safe with you, Rae"

Resting her head against Chelsea's, Raven released a sigh she wasn't aware she had been holding. "You always got me, you know? Even if things turn bad, you always got me"

Chelsea nuzzled further into the darker woman's neck and the two finally succumbed to sleep.

* * *

"We're here" Betty Jane commented, exiting the truck and closing the door. Raven and Chelsea vacated their seats, still linked at the arm and took in their surroundings.

The area was more or less a barren wasteland, save for an old rickety train track and a small building. "Where are we?" came from the auburn-haired girl.

"Santafino Train Station. It's ancient, hasn't been used since the early 1900's. Nobody comes here, we can sleep and get back on the road tomorrow"

Realization dawned on the two friends, still stood beside the truck, that this was their future. Hiding, stealing and hopefully surviving. Raven shot Chelsea a reassuring smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. Breaking from Chelsea's grip, Raven started for the boot of the truck, picking out one of the sleeping bags Betty Jane had packed. Chelsea followed her lead and picked out a backpack, taking it toward Betty Jane who had already begun finding elements to start a fire. Walking toward the camp, Raven was suddenly pulled into a vision.

 _The city. Body after body lay on the ground, dead. Some undead. Gasping and moaning, seeking a victim. Overrun. Raven turned to Chelsea, worry written across her entire being._

 _"We have to see if they're alive. I need to know what happened to my family"_

 _Chelsea leaned over, interlocking her fingers with Raven's and rubbing a soothing thumb over her hand. "Whatever happens, I'm here. I love you"_

The sleeping bag she was carrying fell to the floor as Raven stared on blankly. Chelsea abandoned her backpack and leaped to the psychic's side. "What did you see, Rae?"

Raven turned to look at Chelsea, sighing as she breathed "the world... I saw the world and it's not getting better" Raven rubbed the tears threatening to fall from her eyes and announced she was going to sleep.

"You haven't eaten yet, you need to keep your strength up" Betty Jane commented, opening a packet of biscuits she'd taken from the shop on the road.

"Not hungry" she deadpanned as she picked up the sleeping bag and walked on toward the small abandoned building that was the train station waiting room. It was small enough to see that there were no undead hiding within it and Raven knew if anything were to happen, Betty Jane was just outside with her gun. Stepping inside the room, Raven closed the door and lay the sleeping bag on the floor beneath. Now alone in her own silence, the events of the day finally caught up to her, tears streaming down her despondent face.

Back at the camp, Betty Jane had finally rustled up a fire and her and Chelsea were sharing biscuits, neither of them talking, both lost in their own thoughts. Chelsea thought about her family, of Raven's family, of Eddie. She was always one of hope, but what she had witnessed today left her feeling unsettled. Still, hope prevailed. She kept telling herself that they would be alright.

"Go to bed, Chels" Betty Jane broke the silence, seeing the pale girl's eyes fighting to stay awake.

"No, I can't leave you out here on your own" she argued.

"I'll be fine, I've got a weapon. Go sleep and I'll keep watch, we can do it in shifts. That way we can all get some rest, so go and I'll wake you when it's time to swap"

Chelsea was in no mind to argue and simply did as she was told. Getting up, she picked up a blanket from her pack and made her way to the old building.

* * *

Closing the door quietly so as not to wake Raven, Chelsea sat down on the vinyl flooring and tried to make herself comfortable. Covering herself with a blanket, she stared up at the ceiling. She was exhausted but she felt she would not be getting a lot of sleep. Her mind was much too awake.

Silence draped over the room, only the sounds of the night outside pervading the air. Usually, Chelsea loved the sounds of nature, but tonight it made her feel lost. The quiet was interrupted by the sound of sniffing from Raven. Chelsea's eyes searched for her friend in the dark glow and recognized the sounds as muffled weeping.

"Rae, please don't cry" Chelsea soothed, crawling over to where Raven lay, wrapped in her sleeping bag. She brought her hand up to her friend's cheek, wiping away the tears that had accumulated there.

"I'm just worried, Chels. My vision at the house. My family isn't okay, Chels, I know it" and with this, Raven broke down. Chelsea climbed into the large sleeping bag beside Raven and pulled her close, wrapping the blanket around both of them.

"Listen to me, Rae. Your family will be fine. We'll find them"

Raven cuddled further into Chelsea as though she was some sort of shield against the world. Her sobs subsided as she looked up at Chelsea, who wiped away her remaining tears.

"It's all my fault," she said solemnly, looking away out of sheer guilt. Chelsea furrowed her brows, subsequently confused.

"Raven, none of this is your fault, how could you even think that?!" Chelsea spoke, frustration evident in her tone. Hooking her fingers under Raven's chin, Chelsea brought her face up to look at hers. "What part of this, of any of this, is YOUR fault?!"

Raven appeared broken, it was unlike Chelsea had ever seen before. The confident girl she had once known had been taken apart beneath her.

"I'm psychic and I didn't see this coming. If I did, I could have warned everyone" she said, fresh tears falling. Chelsea was taken aback, completely flummoxed by what had just come out of her best friend's mouth. There was a moment of silence before Chelsea spoke again.

Pulling Raven up into a seated position, Chelsea grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a light shake.

"Raven Lydia Baxter, you listen to me right now and you listen well"

Raven was shocked at the fire in Chelsea's eyes, as though a fuse had been set off inside of her.

"You are not responsible for this. You can't control your visions and you are not a victim of them. This is not your fault. Okay?" Chelsea visibly softened as she ran her hands up and down Raven's upper arms. "You're gonna be okay"

"Will you sleep here with me? I don't wanna be alone" Raven asked, suddenly feeling sheepish.

Chelsea climbed back into the sleeping bag and motioned for Raven to join her under the blanket she had brought with her.

"A sleepover under the stars!" Chelsea exclaimed. Raven's face broke out into a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like forever, which was gladly returned by the woman beneath her.

"The stars are outside, Chels. All we got here is a mouldy ceiling to look at" Raven joked, suddenly feeling lighthearted. She lay down and resumed her spot snuggled into Chelsea as she wrapped her arm around her friend's waist.

"Geez, Rae. You make everything sound so un-romantic" she scoffed, looking up at the ceiling. "Look, Rae. I can see a constellation". Raven's eyes followed Chelsea's finger as she pointed to a damp spot in the tile, "it's Orion's Mould".

Raven chuckled and for the first time since the events began, she felt hope.

Hope prevails.


	4. Chapter 4 - Armed With Death

**Chapter 4: Armed With Death**

Raven and Chelsea lay huddled together, their slumber maintaining a peaceful reverie. It was contrary to the world outside, but for now, their dreams were the only escape they were privileged with.

Raven squirmed, the hard floor beneath her providing an uncomfortable rest. A squark from a bird close by awoke the brunette. Her eyes blinked sleepily, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. Her dreams were a far cry from reality and the onset of dread set in as she looked up towards the disheveled ceiling. Raven thought about her family; her parents, Cory.

"please be safe" she whispered into the night as a tear fell down her cheek, "be somewhere"

A sigh stole Raven from her thoughts as she looked at the sleeping form beside her. Realizing she still had her arms tightly wrapped around the red head, she loosened her grip but didn't fully release the girl. Being beside Chelsea made her feel safe.

Raven's gaze found the ceiling once more, her mind ablaze with unanswered thoughts. Her mother always told her that your life can change in a second so you had to enjoy the present as much as possible; she didn't realize how true that statement could be. Life really could change in an instant.

"Enjoy the present" Raven announced quietly into the night, as though voicing her thoughts aloud would make her current situation easier. Raven pondered the statement for a while, unable to register anything she could 'enjoy' right now. Stirring in her sleep, Chelsea shuffled closer to her friend and finally settled her head on Raven's shoulder. It was a small gesture, but it caused Raven's eyes to brim with tears once more as she looked lovingly at the serene face that was now only inches from her own.

This was what she had to live for. This was the parts of life she could still enjoy. Little moments of love, moments of friendship and loyalty were the only currency in a world gone mad. Having somebody you love with you when the world has lost so much was a blessing and Raven had just developed a new appreciation for such things. Other things may have changed but Raven still had Chelsea and she was adamant to keep it that way. Tilting her head, Raven pressed her lips to Chelsea's forehead, a nonverbal promise to keep the girl safe, no matter what the cost.

* * *

Betty Jane sat perched on a rock, warming her hands against the fire she had started a short while ago in an attempt to battle the cold air of the night.

Sounds of cracking and shuffling leaves brought the country girl to attention, grabbing her gun and swiftly aiming it in the direction of the offending sounds.

Surveying the area with an intensity she felt was about to overpower her exhausted form, she finally breathed a sigh of relief as her vision met the silhouette of her cousin walking toward her.

"Thank _god_ it's you" Betty Jane lowered her gun and placed it back in its holster as Raven came into full view.

Raven was still not used to a life in which guns were the norm, a life in which you had to fear every sound around you. She tentatively walked towards the fire, feeling anxiety fill her stomach as though her bodily organs had been tied into knots after having a gun aimed at her. It was nothing to Betty Jane, survival was something that came naturally to her, but it rested uneasily with Raven.

"Why are you awake? You should be getting some rest" Betty Jane tried to argue, her voice struggling to obtain the level of urgency she attempted to portray.

" _You_ should be getting some rest" Raven countered, "you're gonna burn out. I can take the next shift and keep watch and you can get some sleep before tomorrow"

Betty Jane sighed in defeat, knowing Raven was right. Betty Jane was always the person who protected the girls, the one who knew how to survive, but living on the front line had its consequences and she knew she had to trust Raven to look after herself because one day, her own self may be all she has left.

As Raven took a seat beside the fire, Betty Jane searched in her duffle bag, struggling to see in the dark. Finding what she was looking for, she got up and walked toward Raven, dropping the item in her lap.

"I don't-"

"You need this. If you see or hear _anything,_ don't be afraid to use it. I'll teach you how to use it better in the morning. You and Chelsea need to learn how to protect yourselves"

Raven picked up the pistol from her knees and examined it. The gun itself wasn't heavy, but the burden it carried was overwhelming. Raven was torn, she felt like two different people. One part of her was grateful, she knew she was safer carrying a weapon but the other part of her was angry. Her entire world had been ripped from her with no explanation and the injustice she felt filled her with a white rage she couldn't offload. Her bubbling anger subsided and was replaced with a numbness as Betty Jane placed her kitchen knife on Raven's lap.

"Just in case" she commented before retiring to the place Raven had just slept.

Raven looked down at herself. Gun in one hand, knife on her lap. This was the new world. Her entire being felt like a black void, a ghost of who she was. It was as though a light sparked in the dark when she thought of Chelsea and suddenly her emotions returned with a vengeance.

"Fuck it" she spat, wielding the knife in her hand. "I promised to protect her, and I will"

* * *

Light finally broke from between the clouds, beating down on Raven who hadn't moved since Betty Jane left her only 3 hours prior. Her eyes blinked repeatedly as they adjusted to the morning.

"Rae?"

Raven stood to attention, turning to face the first sound she'd heard since Betty Jane. A disheveled Chelsea stood rubbing her eyes as she exited her sleeping area.

"I woke up and you weren't there" the redhead softly spoke, her voice laced with concern. "I had a nightmare that you, that you.. and I thought"

Raven's reflexes shot into action as she dropped her weapons to the floor, now forgotten, and paced over to the shaken girl, collecting her into her arms.

"You weren't there and I thought... I thought it was real" the emotion Chelsea had been trying to contain eventually released as she wept into the shorter girls shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay" Raven whispered soothingly into long auburn locks as she ran comforting hands down the sunken girl's back. "I was watching out for you out here so you and Betty Jane could get some rest"

Chelsea looked up at Raven, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Sorry, Rae. It was just a dream, I'm just being stupid" Chelsea confessed, stepping back from the hug and looking down to her feet, feeling awkward about her unwarranted emotional breakdown.

Raven pulled Chelsea back into her, hugging her even tighter.

"You're not stupid, Chels. Just next time, be sure to dream me up as a _hero_ instead of a victim, ey? At least then it'd be true to character" she joked, smiling when she heard a chuckle from Chelsea.

"I'll be sure to dream you up a nice cape" Chelsea added, her awkward feeling completely dispelled as she grinned at Raven, her smile beaming, despite her watery eyes.

"Girl you _know_ I ain't wearin' no cape. A crown is the only way forward" the girls laughed as Raven brushed a lone tear from Chelsea's cheek. For the moment, they forgot the world had changed. It was as though they were back at home sitting on Raven's couch, talking to their heart's content as though they were the only people in the world. They both had a knack for that, for making each other's pain go away. It was so easy to forget all of the worry and the trauma of their lives when they were together. It was as though together, they were unstoppable. Together, life meant something. There were smiles and joy and happiness, but apart, they had only their thoughts, which at the moment, were the darkest they had ever been. They were each other's shield against reality.

Betty Jane emerged from the shack, pulling the girls from their thoughts as they stepped back from one another. Betty Jane noticed the immediate change between the girls when she entered the room, as though they were hiding something. The younger girl knew exactly what she saw between the girls, but she wasn't going to press the issue, she thought it would be better to let them work it out themselves. Betty Jane wasn't familiar with romance in her own life, but she could always see it in others. She envied it slightly, knowing they had each other's backs without a second thought. Betty Jane never had anybody like that in her life.

"Mornin', catch any rotters last night?" came proudly from the survivalist, not even noticing the grimaces painted on the other two girl's faces.

Silence followed; one which Betty Jane didn't even notice as she began kindling a fresh fire.

A pale hand wedged itself into a darker one as Chelsea looked up at Raven, her eyes signaling her discomfort with Betty Jane's words. Raven knowingly squeezed the smaller hand in her own before releasing it and walking over to the now roaring fire.

"Hey, can we talk?" Raven started, her hands slipping into her jean pockets, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Sure cuz, what's on your mind?" Betty Jane's tone was cheerful, completely unaware of her cousin's demeanor. She sat down on one of the rocks and beckoned for Raven to join her.

Chelsea watched the discourse from afar, leaning against the doorframe to what was now known as their bedroom.

Raven dusted down her jeans and took a seat beside her cousin who was poking around in her duffle bag.

"About what's going on... you know... the trouble" Raven started, fumbling over her words.

"The lurkers you mean? The dead guys?" Betty Jane offered, finally turning to look at Raven who visibly winced. "What's wrong, Rae? You see any of the dead'uns? Did they hurt ya?!" the country girl's instincts were suddenly on red alert as she grabbed her cousin's wrists, inspecting them for bites.

Raven shot from her seat, her white rage returning with a vengeance as her annoyance bubbled to the surface.

"What is fucking wrong with you!?" Raven spat as she towered over Betty Jane, who was on her knees by the stone Raven was just sat on. Betty Jane looked up at Raven, her eyes widening, unsure of what was happening. "How are you okay with this? Why doesn't this bother you? Those things are _people_. They're not _lurkers_ or _dead guys,_ they are human fucking beings!"

It was Betty Jane's turn to wince, as she peered into the hateful eyes of her cousin.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Sorry? Are you sorry? Did you even think twice before pulling the trigger on Auntie Faye?!" Raven's eyes were brimming with unshed tears, emotions that needed to be released.

"Raven, you know she wasn't-"

"Alive? Yeah, I know. You keep telling me" Raven lowered herself to Betty Jane's level, meeting her fearful gaze. Her eyes bore into Betty Jane's as she sighed, her voice becoming soft, almost menacing, "Would you think twice about killing _me_?"

Raven straightened herself and picked up the pistol she had discarded earlier. She handed it to Betty Jane.

"You asked before... if they hurt me. What if I said yes?" Raven was cruelly testing the country girl, she needed to. It was horrible, but she needed to take her rage out on someone.

Betty Jane remained still, not knowing what to say. She had never seen Raven this way before and it scared her; she didn't want to anger her further.

"Look, Betty Jane, we've all seen the movies. You get bit, you get scratched, whatever. It all ends the same - you _become_ one of them. So, let's say I've been bitten, what would you do? Would you shoot me, too?"

Betty Jane chanced a look up at Raven and then at Chelsea who had walked toward the camp fire, eyes wide with worry. Betty Jane looked down at the pistol in her hands and threw it to the ground as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I would never hurt you, Rae" the strong country girl broke even further as regret filled every fiber of her being.

"But you shot Auntie Faye"

Betty Jane's head shot up from her lap, her own anger revealing itself.

"Auntie Faye was already dead, Raven. When are you going to accept that?!"

The two girls came head to head.

"What makes you the expert? You weren't even there, you abandoned me and Chels and we had to work it out for ourselves. Where _were_ you!?" Raven spat, suddenly realizing herself why she had been so angry. Betty Jane wasn't there. "When we woke up that morning, nobody was there"

Chelsea stood still beside their vehicle, feeling helpless. She didn't feel it would be right to step in; it was a conversation that needed to happen.

Raven's anger subsided as she saw the pain that entered her cousin's eyes.

"I was in the barn. I was hiding like Momma told me" Betty Jane sighed, defeated, as she reclaimed her seat on the rock. Picking up a stray piece of wood, she threw it into the fire, staring dazedly into the raging blaze. "I could see, ya know? Out of the holes in the wood"

Raven joined Betty Jane again by the fire.

"What did you see?"

"Auntie Faye" Tears once again escaped the country girl as she brought her fists up to wipe her eyes, though it was to no avail.

Raven pressed again, quietly, as she took the other girls hand in her own. "Tell me what happened"

Betty Jane's eyes found Raven's and she could no longer see the hatred she had witnessed only moments earlier, it had been replaced with sincere concern and worry. Taking a deep breath, Betty Jane continued.

"Momma, Papa Delroy and me were going to the store because the coop didn't produce any good eggs, ya see? So we took the truck and Auntie Faye asked us to take Baby G so that she could have her beauty rest while we were gone. Y'all were asleep and I didn't think it right to wake ya just to go to the store, so we just left and headed into town"

Betty Jane fiddled with her belt buckle, closing her eyes as though not looking at the world would make it all go away. But it didn't.

"You can imagine, town wasn't in the best condition. It got real bad. I don't know how to, it's just, oh my _god_ it was so awful, Rae" Betty Jane collapsed into Raven, her tears constant.

Raven placed her arm around Betty Jane, pulling the younger girl closer.

"People were attacking each other. Momma told me to stay in the truck and Delroy got out, said he was gon' help them"

A moment of quiet enveloped the girls, a moment of dread and of remembrance.

"He didn't make it far"

Raven pulled the sobbing girl closer as she heard shuffling by the truck. Her eyes located Chelsea, who was quietly sniffling to herself, wiping her own tears from her eyes. Raven extended her free arm and motioned for Chelsea to sit with her and Betty Jane. The taller girl slumped into Raven's side and enveloped her with her arms as Betty Jane continued.

"The truck was ambushed, those things were everywhere. They were opening the doors, trying to get in and Momma started the car again. I don't even remember when it happened, it's all a blur, but her door... was open" a new wave of tears hit Betty Jane as she struggled for breath.

"Who's door?"

"B-b-baby G's. She was th-there and then she wasn't and I d-don't know what happened... but she's gone and it's all my fault. I was looking after her, Rae. They took her. Oh my god, they took her and I don't even want to think about it"

"Stop" Raven's own tears came, she couldn't bare to hear anything else. She had felt enough pain for one day.

"No, you need to hear this... We got back to the house and I was hiding in the barn like I said. Momma said she was going to get you and Chelsea and Auntie Faye. I watched her walk toward the house, but Auntie Faye came out. She looked... different. Momma just ran, she ran back to the barn, but Auntie Faye got her. I saw it. She started biting her and she was... she was _eating_ her. That wasn't Auntie Faye, Rae. I stayed so quiet, I didn't know what to do. She walked to the barn door and started banging on it until she heard something in the house... She heard you both"

Chelsea's hand subconsciously grabbed Raven's, feeling safer in herself when they were close. Raven felt a tug on her heart as she peered down at Chelsea. That morning could have ended so differently if Betty Jane hadn't of been there. Raven's eyes glistened with fresh worry at the mere thought of it. Without thinking, Raven interlocked their fingers and ran her thumb across the paler girls skin. Chelsea responded with a small kiss to Raven's temple, letting the girl know she was okay, soothing Raven's dark thoughts.

Betty Jane breathed deeply, her tears subsiding.

"It wasn't _easy_ to shoot her, Rae. I did it without thinking not because I didn't care, but because I cared too much. I couldn't lose you like I lost my little sister. I lost my Momma and my Papa. I failed them, but I wasn't gonna fail you. It still isn't easy. I don't call those things 'people' because _people_ have lives, they have feelings and families and I can't kill _people_. I call them what I call them because it lessens the burden it puts on my shoulders when I have to kill them"

"I know you did the right thing, I never doubted that... I just... I needed time" Raven confessed, crippling guilt making its way through her for the way she had treated her cousin.

"I know... and it's okay. We've all had a lot to deal with"

Raven stood, wiping her eyes and inhaling a deep breath of fresh air as she picked up the forgotten pistol from the ground.

"I'm ready"

"Ready for what?" Chelsea asked.

"We need to learn how to survive, Chels. We can start by learning how to shoot properly"

Chelsea eyed the weapon with uncertainty as Raven extended the gun for Chelsea to take.

"You gotta be your own hero, Chels. I'll still wear the crown obviously, but you can take the cape"

The three girls chuckled lightly, wiping away their tears as Chelsea grabbed the pistol.

* * *

It was a little after 1:00 PM according to Betty Jane's watch and she had begun cooking a tin of beans over the fire. Raven sat opposite, twisting a small knife between her fingers, awaiting her food.

"You think she's gon' be alright?" The country girl asked, motioning to Chelsea who was still having trouble shooting the targets on the truck.

Betty Jane had thought to use the empty tins from their food as targets and she had placed them side by side on the hood of the truck. After showing each of the girls how to hold each of the guns she had packed in her cases, she offered them a prize of a chocolate bar which would be awarded to the first person to hit all five targets.

Raven had won that competition over an hour ago, but Chelsea was still struggling to hit more than two of the tin cans.

"She'll be fine, she's just frustrated. It's like anything really, as soon as you get frustrated, it's game over. You ain't winnin' that one" Raven mused, knowing Chelsea would eventually get the hang of it.

Betty Jane nodded in agreement. The girls sat comfortably by the fire, enjoying a moment of peace.

"Hey, um, Rae?" Betty Jane whispered, moving closer to Raven so that only she could hear. The older girl dipped her head closer to Betty Jane, listening intently for whatever she was going to say.

"Yeah?"

"I gotta tell you something and I need to know if you and Chelsea are cool with it, but I wanted to come to you first" The country girl inhaled deeply, seeking confidence from her breath as she continued. "This is our last night here"

Raven was taken aback, but the idea didn't shock her in the slightest. She knew they couldn't stay in the old train lot forever, but she didn't know the world like Betty Jane did. She had no idea where they would go or how they would survive. She had spent her entire life fixating on boys and clothes and school that she didn't have time for anything else. She used to think her life was so hard. Thinking back, she would give anything to be back at Bayside with Alana her school bully, or Ben or even Mr. Petrachelli - anything was better than right now.

"Where will we go?" the question was asked to nobody in particular. If Raven was honest, she was asking herself. There was a brief quiet before anyone spoke again. Betty Jane looked at Raven, wanting to gauge her reaction as she answered tentatively,

"San Francisco"

Raven looked up, her eyes meeting Betty Jane's.

"Home" Raven let out a shaky breath, the word feeling foreign to her lips.

Raven wanted nothing more than to go home. Her entire being ached for the safety and comfort of her own house. She thought of her family; she was so excited to finally get to see them and to let them know she was okay, but there was a dark feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach that grew stronger as the idea of going back to San Francisco started to sink in. Part of her didn't want to go back. Living with the hope of a potential happiness seemed much easier than living with a definite tragedy. Her home was her make it or break it. She hoped her family would wait for her to come home, to see if she was safe. But part of her feared that they would be gone, or worse.

"Are you alright with that?" Betty Jane inquired, seeing the inner turmoil painted on her cousin's face. Reaching out, she placed a hand on the older girl's shoulder, letting her know she wasn't alone. "Whatever you're imagining in your head, you need to face it. Not knowing will eat you up inside, trust me. Whatever happens, remember you've got me and you've got Chels"

"Chelsea. I need.. I need to talk to her. I need to make sure she's ready for this" with that, Raven stood and made her way over to Chelsea, a comforting smile already placed on her lips in preparation.

* * *

"Hey, Chels"

The red head grunted, frustration turning to anger as she missed the third target on the truck, throwing her gun to the ground with a thud. Raven followed the sound and bent down to retrieve the handgun, extending it to Chelsea with a raised brow. Huffing, Chelsea snatched the gun from her friend's hand with irritated force.

"I suck"

"You don't suck"

"How long have I been trying!? I can't hit more than two targets! I suck more than you suck in Bio" Chelsea groaned, causing Raven to chuckle at her tantrum.

"Girl, ain't nobody suck more than me in Bio" Raven laughed, probing the taller girls ribs in jest. Chelsea smirked before reclaiming her stance and aiming her weapon at the targets.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Squeeze the trigger.

The bullet raced through the air and straight past the third target. The pale girl growled in dissatisfaction.

"I suck"

Raven walked up beside Chelsea, lifting the angry girl's hands and raising them to an appropriate level.

"You just need to relax, you're better than you think" The shorter girl then came behind her, enveloping the petite girl's waist with her hands and moving her into a more comfortable stance. "Turn more this way so you can see better" Raven commented, patting Chelsea's thigh and motioning to where she wanted her to stand.

Chelsea's mind suddenly became blank. Raven's hands were fumbling around her frame causing a wave of what felt like somersaults in Chelsea's stomach. It was intoxicating. All feelings of frustration had dissipated, being replaced by unexplainable longing. Chelsea was completely engrossed in her emotions that she hadn't heard Raven's instruction. Her thigh met the darker girl's hand once more and Chelsea felt as though she were on fire. She knew exactly what she longed for and more importantly, _who_ was making her feel this way and it scared her. She shouldn't be feeling such things for her friend, especially not Raven. Perhaps it was due to the turmoil of emotions she'd experienced in the past 48 hours; everything about her was on high alert. But if she was honest with herself, she had felt similar emotions even prior to the apparent ending of the world. Pushing her feelings to the side, she attempted to follow Raven's instructions.

"Right, now line your sight with the gun and the target"

Chelsea tried but struggled to focus on what she was doing, her heart was beating exceptionally fast. She could still feel Raven's hands on her even though she had stopped touching her, it felt like a thousand infernos had erupted on her skin. It almost became too much when Raven came up behind her again.

"No, no, no, Chels. Like this" Closing the small gap between them, Raven pulled Chelsea's body back into her, holding her at the waist. Chelsea shuffled, falling back a bit due to the unexpected movement. She could feel Raven's body pressed against her back and she didn't want it to stop. She felt drunk on feeling as she allowed herself to melt into the darker girl's embrace.

Raven, who was focused on training the frustrated girl, had no idea what thoughts were going through her best friend's mind. Running her fingers along the length of Chelsea's arm, she raised it to her desired position.

"Keep your eye on the target and breathe in" she instructed.

Chelsea's dazed mind tried to focus as she inhaled and eyed the tin can.

"Okay, now when you breathe out I want you to squeeze the trigger softly" Raven's roaming hands found their way to Chelsea's shoulders, straightening them out.

Chelsea slowly exhaled and pulled the trigger.

With a clank, the tin can shot off the truck bonnet and onto the ground.

"YEAH! Take that, ya nasty!" Screeched Raven as she wrapped her arms around Chelsea's waist, hugging her from behind. Chelsea beamed as she leaned her head back against Raven, running her own hands over the excitable girl's arms. A few moments passed, neither one of them wanting to break the embrace.

In one fell swoop, Raven spun Chelsea around to face her, their faces nose to nose. Both girls took a sharp intake of breath at the unexpected contact, but neither backed away. The air surrounding them felt thicker, as though it were forcing them closer. The gaze they shared was electric and Chelsea felt like she was dizzy with emotion. Raven's eyes dropped to Chelsea's mouth as she instinctively licked her lips, before looking back up at the red head.

The gun Chelsea had been holding fell to the ground, startling the girls apart.

Chelsea immediately bent down to grab it, averting her gaze from Raven.

"Sorry, it slipped out of my hand"

Raven, who also felt a bit dazed, just stared at the fumbling girl on the ground. The crackling of a nearby fire caught the brunette's attention as she turned to see Betty Jane poking the fire.

"Chelsea, I actually came over here cause I needed to ask you something" Raven sputtered.

Chelsea walked to the truck and placed down her weapon, still feeling uncomfortable about the situation.

"Yeah?" she asked, her back still to Raven as she walked towards the trunk. It was a short response, but it's all her voice could manage. Her brain was still processing her emotions.

"It's kinda important" Raven walked over to Chelsea who was fiddling with the bags in the back of the truck. Moving one out of the way, she heaved herself up onto the trunk and took a seat. "Come sit with me"

Sensing the conversation was about to get serious, Chelsea jumped up and perched herself beside Raven.

"What's up, Rae? You okay?"

Emotions are something Raven didn't often show unless it was happiness. But here with her best friend, the reality of what was about to happen the following morning started to dawn on her and her eyes filled with tears anew.

"Tomorrow..." The tears Raven had been holding back started to escape as she turned to look at Chelsea. She felt a hand interlock her own, giving her the courage to continue. "Tomorrow... we're going home, Chels"

Chelsea's face was unreadable. A slight smile crossed her features but was quickly replaced with a look of sorrow.

"Oh"

Moments passed while the girls processed their thoughts, grateful for the quiet opportunity.

"What are ya thinking about?" Raven asked, squeezing Chelsea's hand in her own.

Chelsea looked at Raven and then toward the sky. Its limitless expansion filled her with both hope and with dread.

"My mom"

"Me too"

Another moment passed. Chelsea leaned in against Raven, resting her head on her shoulder.

"We'll be okay, whatever happens. As long as I have you, I still have something to keep me going"

Raven's entire being felt as though it melted at the confession from her closest friend. Her glowing heart felt as though it could pound out of her chest.

"You'll always have me, Chels"

* * *

The sun had set long ago. The woodland sounds enveloped the space, creating a silence which was eerily peaceful. Betty Jane emerged from the shack wrapped in a blanket, yawning. She had been getting rest for the journey the following morning while Raven and Chelsea kept watch outside. The night was quiet save for one lone walker which Raven took care of with a rock to the head. Killing was becoming second nature, despite the girls' experience of it being very minimal.

"You girls wanna head in? I'm rested enough, I can take over if you want" Betty Jane suggested, knowing fine well she wouldn't be accepting no for an answer, seeing the obvious tiredness in the girls' faces.

Raven and Chelsea stood, making haste for the shack.

"Shout if something goes wrong or if you need us. Stay safe" came from Chelsea as she walked toward the building.

Raven handed her weapons over to Betty Jane, pulling the girl into a hug before following after Chelsea.

* * *

In the shack, Chelsea headed straight for the sleeping bag in the center of the uneven ground. Raven rummaged around in her rucksack by the door, smiling when she found what she was searching for. Walking over with the item behind her back, Raven sat down cross-legged on the ground beside Chelsea.

"I got you something," Raven said, matter-of-factly.

Intrigued, Chelsea sluggishly sat up in her sleeping bag.

"What'ya get?" came dazedly from the exhausted girl.

Bringing her hands round to the front, Raven exposed her secret gift.

"I found it on the truck earlier and I want you to wear it." Raven extended the gray beanie for Chelsea, who took it gratefully. "Your hair is beautiful, but I worry that something might grab it. I thought if you wore this then if something was gonna grab you, it would just grab the hat and you'd have a chance to run" Raven confessed.

Chelsea face dropped, a smile taking root on her lips. "That is so sweet, Rae." Bringing the hat up, Chelsea pulled in onto her head with ease. "How do I look?" Chelsea asked, pulling her best Vogue pose, making Raven laugh.

"It suits you, actually"

"Thank you! I'll never take it off"

Slouching back down to the ground, Chelsea made herself comfortable in her sleeping bag once more. Raven brought her own blanket beside Chelsea and lay down next to her.

"Chels, you remember the other night when I had a vision and you asked what I saw?"

"Yeah, you said it wasn't getting any better"

"Yeah... That wasn't a lie. But Chels... the vision was about San Fransisco"

Chelsea sat up again, leaning on one arm and facing Raven.

"What did you see?"

Raven looked up at Chelsea, knowing she needed to prepare her for the worst.

"It was overrun... completely"

"Oh"

"Yeah. I just... I needed you to know"

Chelsea used her free hand to wipe a stray tear from the psychic's cheek, letting her hand rest there. Raven brought her own hand up, covering Chelsea's.

"I'm scared, Rae"

Rubbing her thumb against the red head's hand, Raven moved it slightly lower so she could place a reassuring kiss on the palm, making Chelsea feel like jelly once more.

"I know. Me too"

Chelsea exhaled heavily, fearing her own words.

"I'm not just scared because of what we might find, Rae. I'm scared for you. I'm terrified, even. This world, those things. They could take you away from me anytime. Tomorrow. I love you so much, Rae. You're my best friend - more than that. I don't think I can live in this place without you and I'm so fucking scared that you're going to be taken from me"

Both of the girls had sat upright, their vision blurry with tears, hands gripping one another.

"I won't let that happen, Chelsea. We've got each other through all of this, I promise" Raven tried to comfort her friend, cupping her tear-stained face in her hands.

"You can't promise that. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, or any day after that"

"You're right"

"What?"

"I can't promise I'll always be here, but I'm here now. I'll still be here tomorrow and I'll be by your side the entire time. We can beat this, Chels. You and me. We just gotta take each day as it comes"

"Please, please, please don't leave me, Rae" Chelsea completely broke into pieces in front of Raven and it ripped her heart to pieces that she couldn't reassure her. Raven pulled Chelsea into her, pressing her lips to her forehead.

"I'm here, Chelsea"

Chelsea looked up at Raven through watery eyes, feeling the most amount of love she's ever felt for any human being right at that moment. Chelsea had accepted her feelings for Raven had surpassed friendship, but she didn't know what to do. Her eyes bore into Raven's and she saw absolute care and something else she couldn't quite place.

Raven's lips met Chelsea's forehead once more and the auburn-haired girl felt a slight frustration. Chelsea sat up, still perched between the psychic's legs as she cupped the darker woman's face.

"Rae, is there anything I could do that would make you hate me?"

Confused, Raven furrowed her eyebrows, almost angrily at being asked such a question.

"What? No. I could never ha-"

That was as much as she needed to hear before Chelsea pulled Raven's face toward her, forcing their lips to finally meet in a searing kiss.


End file.
